64 The Farmer's Veterinary Adviser. 



forward at the fetlocks. Death may ensue in a few hours 

 or days, or the affection may become chronic, the patient 

 remaining with variable appetite, but getting no good of 

 his food, with spasms of the pharynx, vomiting or diar- 

 rhoea. He usually passes off in a convulsion. 



Sijmptoms of tlie Abortion Form do not differ from those 

 ill abortion fi'om other causes. (See Abortion). 



Symptoms of the Gangrenous Form. Nervous symptoms 

 may or may not usher in the disease. Then follow swell- 

 ing, heat and tenderness of the extremities, usually the 

 hind feet but sometimes the fore, or the tail, ears or roots 

 of the horns. Lameness usually first draws attention to 

 this condition. Soon the extremity becomes cold, insen- 

 sible, of a deep brownish-red appearance and dry, hard or 

 almost horny. The swelling, heat and tenderness persist 

 higher up, but the lower part is dead including even the 

 bone up to a given point, At this level a red, circular 

 crack appears in the skin separating the dead from the 

 living, and if the patient should survive long enough the 

 whole gangrenous part drops off. 



It usually occurs in winter from the dry hay fodder but 

 is distinguished from frost-bite by implicating the deep as 

 well as the superficial parts and attacking the feet in pref- 

 erence to the more exposed tail and ears. 



Treatment is only successful in the mildest cases, and 

 the earliest stages. Change to wholesome diet, including 

 plenty of roots or potatoes. Clear offensive matter from 

 the bowels by laxatives, and give tonics (cinchona, gen- 

 tian,) stimulants (ammonia, valerian, angelica, musk,) and 

 antispasmodics (opium, chloral-hydrate, chloroform, or 

 nitrite of amyle). Use soft, warm poultices containing 

 camphor. 



Prevention. Ergoted hay, known by the black, spur-like 

 growths out of the husks, should be withheld, or fed only 

 in hmited quantity in conjunction with roots and potatoes. 

 Be careful in selecting seed clear of ergot. Seed may be 

 protected to a lai'ge extent by sprinkJine' mth a strong 



